Magnetically operable program controller



1963 A. BERNADEN, JR., ETAL 3,114,084

MAGNETICALLY OPERABLE. PROGRAM CONTROLLER Filed April 6, 1960 1 .70 will INVENTORfi ALEX BERNADEN JR JOHN H.5CHNIDT JOSEPH R. U 5

BY 1 177 THEIR ATTORNEY United StatesPatent O This invention relates to a magnetically operated pro gram control and more particularly to amagnetically operable program controller, such as may be used on an automatic washer and similar applications in which cycles of several different variations can be readily obtained.

Present tendencies to require controls to be more completely automatic is causing program controllers to be p more complex. This makes them costly and more liable to failure. Contact difiiculties are increased and more powerful drive motors are required.

It is an object of this invention to provide a complex program controller in which friction is minimized and the power requirements are lowered.

It is another object of this invention to provide a complex program controller in which wear andcontact difiiculties are minimized.

It is another object of this invention to provide a complex program controller in which a number of different cycles may be readily selected.

It is another object of this invention to provide a magnetic program controller in which a plurality of contact members are magnetically actuated at desired times according to a preselected program by a single electromagnet.

These and other objects are attained in the form shown in the drawings in which a program plate or drum'of magnetic material is provided with raised portions and by the pull of a magnet or by an electric motor these raised portions are moved through the vicinity of magnetic actuators of contact members. When one of these raised portions is adjacent the magnetic actuator, an electrom agnet associated with the plate or drum causes a magnetic circuit to be completed between the raised portions and the magnetic actuators. The completion of the magnetic circuit through the raised portions and actuators at various times close the contacts at such times or operate the contacts in various ways according to the program set forth to close various circuits. The single electromagnet through the magnetic circuit connecting with the raised portions provides all of the attractive force required for the actuation of the contacts. The raised portions and the magnetic material associated with them may be shifted laterally of the path of movement to provide different programs.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention.

will be apparent from the following description; reference L being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention are clearly shown.

In the drawings: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view partly diagrammatic of a magnetic program controller embodying one'form of" ourinvention; 7

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional View taken along the lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1 showing the contact mechanism;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view showing a different form of power for the movement of the magnetic card; and v 1.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view partly diagrammatic of a magnetic typeof drum controller embodying another form of our invention.

ice

Referring now more particularly to FIGURE 1, there are shown four stationary contact members 22, 24, 26 and 28 which preferably are connected into four separate control circuits of the device to be controlled, such as an automatic washing machine. These stationary contacts are all fixed to a support'Stl of electrical insulating material. Four movable contacts 32, 34, 36 and '38 cooperate respectively with the contacts 22 to 28 inclusive. These contacts are each in the form of a rivet which is mounted within electrical insulation upon a contact member of soft iron in a similar manner for all the movable contacts. This rivet contact 32 is insulated from the contact member as by the insulation 42. It is electrically connected by an L-shaped conductor strip 44 to a pigtail connection 46 providing the second connection for connecting with the circuit to be controlled. The contact member til as well as the remaining contact members 48, 50 and 52 are all of soft iron and are all pivotally mounted upon the rod 54 also of soft iron or steel. The rod 54 is preferably fixed at both ends to a symmetrical support 56 of magnetic material, such as soft iron or steel. The rod 54 is also provided with transverse pins 58 adjacent each of the contact members. A torsion spring 60 extends between the transverse pin 58 and the contact member 4t) so as to normally urge the contact member 40 to the open circuit position. This is, of course, counterclockwise in the direction viewed in FIGURES 1 and 2. A stop pin 62 is provided for each of the contact members to limit their opening movement.

" ture 68 but also magnctizes the card 64. and particularly the raised portions 66 so that the contact members 4%, 43,

5t) and 52 are attracted toward the raised portions 66 to close their respective contacts. The magnet coil '70 is enclosed'by a housing 72 of soft iron which is connected by an extension 74 of magnetic material with the one end 56 of the rod 54. An identical arm (not shown) may be provided for the opposite end of the rod. The energization of the electromagnet coil 70 therefore sets up an efiicient magnetic actuating circuit whenever any of the raised portions passes through the vicinity of the actuat-' ing end portions 7 8 of the contact members.

The metal card 64 is returned to its initial position by the return spring so. The movement from the initial position toward the electromagnet coil 70 under the attraction of the elcctromagnet coil 79 for the armature 63 is con-trolled by providing ratchet teeth 82 upon the upper edge of the card 64. A pawl 84 pivoted upon the pin 86 engages the ratchet teeth 82. The card is permitted to move intermittently toward the electromagnet coil '70 by a cam having a single rise and falling step 9% in its periphery cooperating with roller follower 92 on the adjacent end ofthe pawl 84. The cam 38 is rotated at a relatively slow speed by an electric motor 94which' may be suitably geared for this purpose. For example, the pawl may be actuated every thirty seconds or every sixty seconds by the cam 88 to permit it to release the card 64for movement a distance of one of the ratchet teeth 32. The pawl 84 is .provided with a spring j 9o'for keeping its chisel-shaped end into engagement with T the ratchet teeth 82. Different programs may be ob- All of the contacts and contact members are identical in construction similar 'to those shown for FIGURE 1.

meshes with a long I tr 26ti at a slow speed. If desired, the pinion 258 may tained by Putting in different cards in netic card 64.

This form operates as follows. The magnetic card 64" provides a magnetic connection between the armature 68 and the raised portions 66 which upon energizaplace of the magtion of the magnet coil 70 magnetizes the raisedportions 66 sufficiently that, when they moveinto a'predetermined adjacent relationship with the actuating ends 78 of the contact members 40,4$, Strand 52,these adjacent ends are attracted to close the magnetic circuits so as to also closethe electrical contacts'32, 22 and 34, 24 and 36, 26

and 38, 28 at the times corresponding to the relative location of the raised portions. The card '64'advances toward the coil 70 intermittently at a slow speed. The

actuating portions 78 remain separated from the raised portions Goat all times so that there is no friction. The

contact members operate instantaneously so that there is substantially no arcing at the contacts and, hence, the

contacts have a long life. T 6 friction therefore is low so that the power requirements are low and inexpensive.

T he electromagnet 179 is used to provide the magnetic attraction forall the raised portions and contactmembers and, in addition, provides-the power requirement for moving the metal card through the cycle.

InFIGURE 3 is a modification in which the card 64 is driven independently of the power of the solenoid 70.

In this particular form, the upper edge of the card 64 is provided with rack teeth 121. The card 64 is driven through the rack'teeth 121 by a small pinion 123 which is driven at a slow speed by a small motor l25 which may operate either intermittently or continuously at a ,slow speed. The magnetic circuit is the same as in FIG- URE '1 and the operation is otherwise similar.

In FIGURE 4, the magnetic cardis formed into a drum 226 having raised portions 222 upon its surface.

The drum is provided with a drum shaft 224 which is both slidably and rotatably mounted in the bearings 226 :material connected by an arm 234 to a rod 236 upon which are mounted the contact members 233, 242 and 244. These contacts as well as the rod 236 and the arm 234 are all of magnetic material, such as soft iron. The contact members 238 to 244 inclusive include insulated electrical conductor strips and contact buttons Pigtail connections are also provided in a similar way as shown in FIGURE 2, The stationary contacts are also similar and are designated by reference characters 246, 248, 250

and 252. They are all supported upon the insulating 7 member 254.

The :drum shaft 224 is provided with a gear 256 which pinion 258 driven by an electric mobeoperated intermittently, such as every thirty or sixty seconds. The electromagnet coil 230 through the magnetic circuit composed of the housing 232,the arm 234,

the rod 236 and the contact members 238 to 244 incliisive and the raised portions 222 of the drum 220 as we ll as the drum shaft 224 sets up a magnetic circuit which will cause the contact members 238 to 244 inclusiveto be attracted and operated to closed i osition :when the raised portions 222 come into closely adjacent relation with the upper actuating end portions 262 of the contact members 238 to 244. This provides an eflicient "magnetic circuit which causes a powerful attraction'between the raised portions 222 and the actuating portions 262 at the particular times set forth by a program as provided bythe locationsof the various raised portions 222.

' These raised portions'222'are arranged in rows'around the drum 229 so that each row normally actuates one of the contact members at various times. However, the drum 220 may also be provided with additional rows of raised portions 222 and, in order to make use of these additional rows, the drum shaft 224 is provided with threads or gear teeth 266 which extend annularl'y'around the shaft 224. To move the drum 22G laterally, there is provided a pinion 268 in engagement with the annular gear teeth 266 which may be rotated by-a suitable knob 27% so that the drum 220 and the drumshaft 224 are moved laterally relative to the bearings 226 and 228. This makes it possible "to shift the additional rows of raised portions into alignment with different contact members, such as the contact members 242-and 244 in order to provide a difierent program. The actuating ends of the contact members238 to 244 never actually touch the raised portions 222 so that'there is a minimum of friction and only a small amount of power is required for manner illustrated in FIGURE 3. The contact members 238 to 244 are also providedwith torsion springs similar to those illustrated in FIGURE 1 connected totransverse pins on the rod 236 so' as to yieldingly hold the contact members into contact withthestop pins This arrangement provides a drum-type magnetic control employing onlya single electromagnet for operating a number of contacts. This provides an excellent control for complex operations. 7

While the embodiments of the present invention as hereindisclosed, constitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A controller including a plurality of segments of magnetic material arranged in a pattern, an electromagating means of magnetic material, said electromagnet being also associated in attracting relationship with said magnetic material to move said segments into and out of magnetic relationship with said actuating-means to operate said control device.

2. Acontroller including a plurality of 'segments of magnetic material arranged in a pattern, "an electromagnet, magnetic material connecting each of said segments with said electromagnet, a control device having an actuating means of magneticmateriahsaid electromagnet being also associated in attracting relationship with said magnetic material to move said segments into and out of magnetic relationship with said actuating means to operate said control device, and a ratcheting device cooperating with said magnetic material forcontrolling the move ment of the segments relative to the control device.

3. A controller including a member having a magnetic' material provided with discontinuous raised portions arranged in parallel rows, control "devices provided with actuating means of magnetic material, means for moving said member and said control devices relative to each other parallel to said rows, said'actuating means 'being located out of the path of but adjacent to the path of relative movementof the raised portions, and a single electromagnet associated with said movable member for magnetizing said magnetic material and all of said raised portions of said movable member to attract said actuating means of said control devices when any of said raised portiousis adjacent. g

4. A controller'including a movable member having magnetic material provided with raised portions, control "devices provided with "actuating means 'of magnetiomaterial, means for moving said member and said control devices relative to each other, said actuating means being located out of the path of but adjacent to the path of relative movement of the raised portions, an electromagnet associated with said movable member for magnetizing said magnetic material and said raised portions of said movable member to attract said actuating means of said control devices when any of said raised portions is adjacent, and means for shifting the control devices and the movable member laterally relative to each other and to their relative paths of movement to place the relative paths of movement of the raised portions in different lateral relationship to said actuating means.

5. A controller including a member having magnetic material provided with raised portions, control devices provided with actuating means of magnetic material, means for moving said member and said control devices relative to each other, said actuating means being located out of the path of but adjacent to the path of relative movement of the raised portions, an electromagnet associated with said member in attracting and magnetizing relationship for magnetizing said raised portions and moving said member relatively to said control devices and to move said raised portions into and out of magnetic relationship with said actuating means to operate said control devices.

6. A controller including first means provided with areas having magnetic properties arranged discontinuously in parallel rows, a plurality of control devices having individual actuating means individually associated in magnetic relationship with ditferent parallel rows of said first individual actuating means individually associated in magnetic relationship with diiferent parallel rows of said first means, means for moving said first means parallel to said rows to present said rows to said actuating means and for creating a magnetic field between said rows and said actuating means including a single electromagnet and magnetic material extending from said electromagnet to each of said areas having magnetic properties, and manual selector means for moving perpendicularly to said rows said first means relative to said actuating means to position different rows in actuating relationship with said actuating means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,240,891 Marchant May 6, 1941 2,327,792 Hubbard Aug. 24, 1943 2,689,279 Noregaard Sept. 14, 1954 2,795,773 Perkins et a1. June 11, 1957 2,931,953 Barney Apr. 5, 1960 

1. A CONTROLLER INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SEGMENTS OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL ARRANGED IN A PATTERN, AN ELECTROMAGNET, MAGNETIC MATERIAL CONNECTING EACH OF SAID SEGMENTS WITH SAID ELECTROMAGNET, A CONTROL DEVICE HAVING AN ACTUATING MEANS OF MAGNETIC MATERIAL, SAID ELECTROMAGNET BEING ALSO ASSOCIATED IN ATTRACTING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID MAGNETIC MATERIAL TO MOVE SAID SEGMENTS INTO AND OUT OF MAGNETIC RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID ACTUATING MEANS TO OPERATE SAID CONTROL DEVICE. 